We have lost N500m worth of revenue to illegal masts ― FCTA

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), via the Department of Outdoor Advertisement and Signage (DOAS), has disclosed that the administration lost about N500m revenue to masts erected without approval in the territory.

This was disclosed on Thursday in Abuja by the Director of DOAS, Dr Babagana Adams during an interaction with newsmen.

He said available records with the FCT administration since the inception of the department, showed that three thousand and fifty masts in the city had no genuine approval.

The Director said some companies only paid for permits and refused to pay the processing fee of one million five hundred thousand naira and go ahead erecting their masts and towers, which he described as an illegal arrangement.

He said: “We have lost about five million naira in revenue to illegal masts and towers in the territory.

“The permit for erecting a mast is N20,000, the processing fee is one million five hundred thousand naira. But many don’t pay, they only pay for the permit and go ahead erecting their masts and towers.

“We discovered this when some communities laid the complain to National Assembly, that the noise from the towers was affecting them, and needed to be addressed.”

He revealed that in the whole of the Nation’s capital, Abuja only had three hundred and twenty masts and towers that had certified approval.

According to him, most of the mobile subscribers only apply without paying the requisite dues.

On measures to be taken against the illegal masts, Adam said necessary steps are taken to ensure that the enforcement didn’t violate human rights.

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